Wing surface used in aeronautics



} wine SURFACE USED IN.AERONAUTICS" Filed Mam 5, 1927 Invert-16v;

Patented Sept. 24, 1929 1,729,210

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUSTAVE DELAGE, OFPARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR T SOCIETE ANONYME: NIEUPORT- 1 ASTRA, OF ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX, FRANCE, A COMPANY 01 FRANCE WING SURFACE USED IN AERONAUTICS Application filed March 3, 1927, Serial No. 172,501, and in France March 12, 1926.

It is known that, generally speaking, for profile allows the movable parts I) to move large angles of incidence which correspond relatlvely to the fixed part w supporting to horizontal flights, with reduced power or them under a load greater than the predeto ascending flights, the position of the cen tcrmined limit.

5 ter of pressure is situated in the front half (0) By the relative displacement of the of the profile of the wing surface. For movable parts 5 with relation to the fixed small angles which correspond to horizontal part a, supporting them, the profile of the flights or to dives, the center of pressure is. surface is suddenly modified so that the cenon the contrary situated in the rear half of tor of pressure moves forwardly.

l the profile. Practically, use may be made of one of the To this variation of position of the cenfollowing arrangements, which are more ter of thrust corresponds of course a variaover given by way of example only and in tion of the stresses which act on the wings. the particular case in which the relative dislhese stresses can become very important placement of the fixed part aand movable during a dive or of a sudden rightening. part I) is obtained by pivotal movement. e

They can even cause a rupture of the ma- In theform of construction of Fig. 1, on chine. I the fixed part a of the surface are pivoted The present invention has for its object an cylinders 0 provided with two bottoms. improvement in wing surfaces used in aerolVithin each of these cylinders a is arranged I nautics, for the purpose of remedying the a piston (Z the rod of which passes through above mentioned inconveniences. The esone of the bottoms and is pivotally consential feature of this improvement resides nected to the end of a lever f rigidly secured in that one or more portions of the proon the movable part b of the surface; this file of the wing surface are resiliently asmovable part-b is pivoted on the fixed part a sembled on the main body, so that the proso that it can be subjected to angular dis- 7 file of normal flight can be automatically placements relatively to the latter. subjected to a sudden modification when the Between the piston d and each bottom of stresses on the surface exceed a predeterits cylinder 0 are arranged springs g the mined value. I tension of which is suited to the limit stress In the accompanying drawing and by way which the surface is to support without its of example: profile being modified.

Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 illustrate various forms Members for adjusting the tension of the of carrying out the improvement forming said springs 9 can be provided. Use may the subject-matter of the invention. also be made of any other means than For avoiding the above mentioned inconsprings for realizing the resilient connection, 5 veniences, the profile of the wing surfaces With predetermined limit, acting between established in accordance with the present the constituent parts of the surface (for ininvention is constituted: n stance compressed gas, san'dow, etc).

- 1.By a part a the position and inclina Fig. 2 illustrates the same device as that tion of which remain invariable relatively above mentioned but this device is placed on to the line of action of the propeller;' v the ordinary control of a wing flap 6.

2.By at least a part I) movable rela- The modification (Figs. 3-4) consists in tively to the said fixed part a; the connecthe use of a resilient coupling sleeve for tion between these sections of. the profile beconnecting together the fixed part a and the in; resiliently effected. movable part b of the surface. The fixed In these conditions: part a is provided with cylindrical casings it ((1) All the features .of the profile remain having inner abutments z and in the axis of constant up to a predetermined limit. which enter the trunnions j of the'movable (Z The resiliency of the connections port-ion Z). 'Each trunnion j is provided, JOIIIIIlg' the constituent elements ab, of the within the corresponding casing h, with a trary, is

side abutment k. Between the movable. abutment is and the fixed abutment i are interposed springs g.

It is obvious that instead of a single movable part b, the fixed part a might be extended in several juxtaposed parts moving relatively to each other under the control of resilient systems, of different powers, connecting them.

The displacements of the movable part or parts might produce the actuation of a system capable of Warning the pilot the machine is overloaded.

The above mentioned arrangements entirely distinguish from wing surfaces having a supple trailing edge which have already been proposed. In fact, in case of utilization of these latter, stresses which act upon the same have simply for result to modifyv the general curvature of the distortable portion of the profile. In the system forming the subject-niatter of the present invention, the object, on the conto produce sudden discontinuities in the profile of normal flight.

What I claim is my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:.

A Wing surface comprising a front part and a rear part movable angularly relative to each other, an operating member pivoted to one of the said parts, elastic means for kinematically connecting the said operating member to the other part.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GUSTAVE DELAGE.

the variations of the 

